Signs across the sagebrush high desert are “Open Range. Watch out for Stock.” “Antelope Crossing.” No signs for restaurants, or gas stations, or rest stops for 120 miles. It’s a long way from the west coast to Bismarck, North Dakota, … Read More
An artist’s rendition of Greta Thunberg on a mural in Bismarck, North Dakota, was recently withdrawn from consideration after protests against the mural. I feel deeply saddened and aggrieved. I grew up with the belief that I could do anything … Read More
It was a clear, warm November day, so I headed to the Oregon coast on a spur-of-the moment jaunt. I have to remind myself, periodically, that the Pacific Ocean is only two hours away. I wanted to watch the sun … Read More
By 1977, Jackie Onassis and others had led a successful campaign to preserve Grand Central Station, and the Commodore Hotel, next to Grand Central, was over fifty years old and losing money. New York City was in the depths of … Read More
When will the Baby Boomers move off-stage? The daily political discourse right now is an assault, and I am not attributing that assault to age, but maybe this generation has had its run. What would be the impact if tomorrow … Read More
I was labelled “wise” by the new leader of my last workplace. The label was a euphemism for irrelevant. Her vision was transformation through metric-driven, tech-savvy efficiencies. I thought it was the right vision. So I retired. I wasn’t pushed … Read More
Aromatic burning, smoke wafting upwards, Dish of glowing sage offered North, East, South, West Cleansing old energy, making room for new We have accumulated years, Were young Turks once The Ottoman Empire reduced to metaphor Our fate, like Black Elk, … Read More
Boomerang kids are those kids who slingshot back home as young adults. Post-recession career-type jobs were hard to come by, and most parents had a twenty-something that regretted living in the basement as much as we missed our freedom. Entry-level … Read More
The Last Person Made Famous by a Painting is the title of a short video by Jesse Brass and Bo Bartlett about Helga Testorf, she of the Helga paintings. Andrew Wyeth painted 250 pictures of Helga over a 15-year period, … Read More